Container for wrenches and the like



Aug. 14, 1934. E. H. CARROLL CONTAINER FOR WRENCHES AND THE LIKE Original Filed March 24. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 'l RN bx A k W k W Y \w m 4 a Q a O 0 O Q V u 1 1%, m & NI l III rfll ,llllll ll II llllllllll w "U" lllllllllllllr 7 a! NN an Aug. 14, 1934.

E. H. CARRQLL CONTAINER FOR WRENCHES AND THE LIKE Original Filed March 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet I 2 Patented Aug. 14, 1934 f STATES 1,970,359 a .ooiwrA1mm,FQR wnENon sANn THE LIKE Elbert '(larrollflwest-Boylston, Mass. Application March 24, 1931, ,Serial 'No.;524;91-7

Renewed December 15, 1933 Olaims.

This invention .relatesarto a socket wrench :set comprising .a .plurality of sockets :of graduated size, and. one .or more 1 common handles which .are provided for use selectively with any one of said isocketed :members.

' The .invention'resides in the compact =assem blage "of .such .;a set in .a specially :constructe'd holder :or .container ..of simple and inexpensive construction, and adapted to .prevent .accidental displacement of the parts oiv .theset, although permitting each part to be individually removed withease when desired.

Further advantages and objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed dejscriptionntaken in .connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:-

l' igfllis anve'levation' viewer the :device of the invention in closed position, with parts broken away to show zcertai-n .details.

Fig. 21is a plan viewof the device in open posit-ion; 1..

Fig. 3 is an end elevation :ofthe :device in :the clos'edlposition of Fig.1. 1

:Fig. .4 is an end elevation 20f the :device in the :open :position of Fig. :2.

:Fig. :5 is an .end elevation of ;the device 111117118 position of Fig. 1, 'being'the end :oppositerto the end of Fig.4.

.rFig-IB is a .plan view of :the :device'inclosed position, parts being broken away to show the construction.

"Like reference characters refer to like parts'in the different figures. i

'Asocketwrench set of the type referred to provides, as is well known, a plurality of similarly shaped socket members 1, 2, '3, 4, 5, 6, '7-anda'i8, graduated in size, and zeach'haviing .a nut or';bo'ltreceiving socket, here .shown as hexagonal in form, and adapted to fit a given size of nut or gbolt, ranging from a large nut or bolt, for which the member 1 is provided, to a small nut or bolt, for which the member 8 is provided,intermediate sizes being taken care of by the socket members 2 and 7 inclusive. These socket members are graduated not only as to diameter but also as to depth, and each provides, in addition to its socketed nut-engaging portion, a polygonal opening 9, all of the openings 9 being of the same size and shape, so as to be capable of operative engage- :ment with the similarly shaped handle or shank member 10, common to all of said socket members. As here shown, the openings 9 are hexagonal and the handle member 10 is of hexagonal section to fit all of said openings 9. Preferably, as .ii shown in Fig. 6, one end of the shank or handle 10 v'is v bent at :right angles, as {indicated at .11.;

either end ,of the: handle, can be inserted in .anyof the socket members, depending ,upon whether thejlongportioni or theshort portionof thehandle is:.to;be:used:as a;1ever:arm. The present wrench set :includes, in. addition .to :the :usualhandle .10, a ratcheting device or handle .12 of ordinaryconstruction,;adapted for :use selectively with any one of the socket memberslrto Sinclusive of the set." The member 12'provides.a'ratchetblock 13. having" a hexagonal opening 1 :4 then-ethrough for. the entrance. of a similarlyshapediextension member 15; one end=of which,xin the'manner ofzthe ends of handle 210,215 .aclaptedito abe =operativelyiengaged with any one.of;:thelsocketmemb'ers.1 to -8 inclusive. The rextensionim'ember-zilfi r provides atlits opposite end a screw (driver ablade 16,.so that the set also affords, when-desired, aratcheting screw driver."

According to the. present invention a shallow I tray or holderlf? iseprovided-for the socket members, .said tray being formed preferably from a single elongatedipiece of sheetmetal whose longi tudinal .edges are bent Jup a't right angles to the central .bottomzportion" to provide side walls .18 and whose ends are bent up .130 provide parallel en'd walls '19 of comparatively greater height than the side walls l 8. The tray 1'7 is adapted to receive -thesocket members '1 to 8 inclusive laid in a "row-against the bottom thereof; and! preferably decreases i-n'width adjacent thestnaller sockets to prevent transverse sliding of the socket members. "The tray asconstructed-is somewhat longer than the row of socket members, and the material :of thebottom' is -struck up to"'-provi'dea transverse tongue of' approximately the height of the side walls andengaging the smallest socket member' 8 in order'to hold the socket members in one end of the tray and against sliding movement.

A cover 21, which receives the handles, is formed. preferably from a single piece of sheet metal, the longitudinal edges of which are bent at right angles to the central side wall portion to define parallel top and bottom walls 22 and 23, respectively, the outer edges of the top and bottom walls being bent toward each other at 24 to define retaining flanges parallel to the central side wall portion. The bottom wall 23 of the cover is provided at opposite ends with extending portions which are bent downwardly substantially at right angles thereto to form depending flanges 25. By this construction, the cover 21 forms a compartment for receiving the handles of the socket wrench set, the compartment being open at opposite ends to permit independent withdrawal of any of the handles. The handle member 10 extends longitudinally within the cover with the short end thereof resting against the top wall 22, the rebent edge 24 of this wall being cut away at 26 adjacent one end to permit the short portion to project outwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3; said handle is'held in position by a plurality of longitudinal upright tongues 27 struck up from the central side wall, each tongue being of a height to engage the long portion of the handle and prevent twisting or sliding thereof within the cover and an additional transversetongue 28, struck up from the top wall 22, and which engages the remote end of the handle to prevent longitudinal movement inwardly of the cover although permitting withdrawal of the wrench therefrom-when desired. The ratchet handle is held against-the opposite wall 23 by an upright longitudinal tongue.

29 struck up from the central side wall and which engages resiliently against the handle substantially midway of the length thereof, and a transverse tongue 30 which is struck up fromthe bot' tom wall 23 to engage the inner end of the ratchet member and hold'said member resiliently against longitudinal movement in the. cover. The extension member 15 is held in'the cover adjacent one end by a longitudinal tongue 31 struck up from the central side wall portion of the cover and which holds. the extension member resiliently in position; the inner end of the member '15 engages the side of .tongue 30 to prevent inward movement of said member; The cover preferably decreases in. width adj acent one.- end corresponding to the decreasing width of thetray.

gether at theirv opposite'ends by suitable pivotal members 32 and33 with the depending flanges 25 in contact with and between the upstanding ends of the box, the pivotal connections being located adjacent corresponding corners of each of the depending flanges and the lower corners of the tray in order to space the cover slightly above the top surfaces of the socket membersas shown in, Fig. 1. Cooperating protuberances 34and 35 are formed respectively on one of the depending flanges and on the corresponding end portion of the tray and are arranged to bebrought into engagement when the cover is moved into closed position over the tray, thereby resiliently to hold the tray and cover against opening; The depending flange '25 which connects the cover to the tray at'the end adjacent thelargest socket member is longer than the opposite depending flange in order that the adjacent wall 23 of the cover may be substantially equally spaced fromthe top of each socket member.

With the cover and tray in the position shown I permit the cover toberswung' for opening "or I The cover and trayare'pivotally connected to-' in Fig. 1, the bottom wall 23 of the cover extends adjacent the upper surfaces of the socket members acting as a closure for the tray and preventing removal of the socket members therefrom, and the end walls of the tray extend upwardly to the top of the cover portion thereby closing the open ends of the compartment in the cover and preventing removal of the handles therein. To release the parts of the wrench set, the cover is rotated about the pivotal connection to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 so that the cover extends adjacent one side of the tray. This permits access to any of the socket members selectively, and, since the ends of the cover are now open, any one of the handles or extension members may be individually withdrawn for use with the desired socket.

I claim,

1. A container for a socket wrench set, comprising a box having an open top and upwardly extending ends, and adapted to receive the graduated sockets" of a wrench set, a cover pivotallyconnected to 'the'ends of said box, said cover having open ends to-receive therein the handles. of said wrench set, said cover when in closed 100 position preventingacc'ess to said box and said upstanding ends on the box closing the open ends of the cover, and means for retaining said box. and'cover in closed position.

2. A'container for a socket wrench set, com prising a box having upwardly projecting ends, a cover having at least one compartment therein," depending flanges at opposite endsof said cover pivotally connected to the ends'of said box' to "closing the box, theprojecting ends of the" box closing the compartment in the cover when said coveris in .position to close the box.

3. A container for a socket wrench set, comprising a box having upwardly projecting ends, a cover having at least one compartment there-' in,"-de'pendin'g fianges at opposite ends of said cover pivotally connected to the ends of said box so that the cover may be swungfor opening or closing the box, the projecting ends of the box closing the c'ompartmentin the-cover when the cover is in'position to close the box, and means for holding the cover in closed position. 7 i

4; Acontainer for tools comprising a box having an open top and upwardly extending .ends, a cover connected to said ends for movement -rela' tive thereto for opening and closing of said box, said cover having a compartmentv therein'open at least-at one end thereof, said cover when in closed position preventing access to said box and said upstanding ends on the box closing the open ing't'o the compartment in'the cover.

' ELBERT H. CARROLL. 

